Make a set of handy templates to help you set up a compound miter saw for common crown molding cuts. (Note: These instructions are for molding with a 45⁰ spring angle. Adjustments for a 38⁰ spring angle are given at the end.) You will need four templates: two for outside corners and two for inside corners. To make them, you need about 6′ of scrap crown molding.
First, set a left bevel (vertical tilt to the left) of 30⁰ on your compound miter saw. This bevel angle will not change for any cut. Also, your molding will always lay flat, face up, on the miter saw. Moreover, as you make each template, mark the set-up instructions directly on the template (as shown in the photo). Each template should be at least 6″ long. Following are the instructions for each template.
Outside right template:
- Top of molding against the fence.
- “Keeper” is exemplary of the blade.
- Bevel left at 30⁰.
- Miter right at 35.3⁰.
Outside left template:
- Bottom of molding against fence.
- “Keeper” is the right of the blade.
- Bevel left at 30⁰.
- Miter left at 35.3⁰.
Inside right template:
- Bottom of molding against fence.
- “Keeper” is left of the blade.
- Bevel left at 30⁰.
- Miter left at 35.3⁰.
Inside left template:
- Top of molding against fence.
- “Keeper” is left of the blade.
- Bevel left at 30⁰.
- Miter right at 35.3⁰.
Now, with these templates, you will never have to scratch your head and make many “test” cuts. Simply place the template against the wall to ensure you have the correct one, and then use the instructions to make the proper cut.
Note: For molding with a spring angle of 38⁰, use a bevel angle of 33.9⁰ and a miter angle of 31.6⁰ instead of the angles given in the instructions above.
25 Comments
Drew
March 22, 2017 at 11:15 amGreat advice for cutting your own crown molding. This would have been helpful when I did my living room a few months ago. Thanks for sharing!
Pam
May 7, 2017 at 5:22 pmPlease recheck pictures and which way “keeper” should be. I wasted crown molding following these pictures and directions exactly. I found them to be incorrect.
Very frustrating to say the least. I could have had my crown molding halfway done by the time I figured out these were wrong.
Warning to others!
Acme Tools
May 8, 2017 at 9:29 amHi Pam, Thank you for your comments and we apologize for any issue our post has caused. We check accuracy of all posts before they are uploaded to our Blog and in this case we have even consulted several master trim carpenters. The images are correct and the suggestions the professionals have is that the crown needs to be laying flat on your miter saw and to pay close attention to if the top of bottom of the crown is against the fence for these images to be used.
Thank you,
Acme Tools
Yoda
May 27, 2019 at 11:39 pmNo ones to say they are necessarily wrong but dumb the less . For someone learning how to cut crown why wouldn’t you come up with something alittle easier. Example ( keep the crown right side up so they can envision it properly. Iunno just saying way to confusing for a green learner.
Gwen
August 13, 2017 at 8:45 amPam,
Your miter examples are correct. I do a lot of trim work and 5 out of 5 got yours wrong, but not because they are wrong. I did experiment to see why the guy said yours is incorrect. All of them walk in a room look at the corners and said left on left and right on right. They are not looking at the corners. You might want to simplify that by showing them to mark their corners first left and right. Once I did that not one of the five got it wrong. Thanks
Rose
August 25, 2021 at 3:14 pmWhat is the easiest way to cut crown for the inside corner
Leanna
June 28, 2017 at 9:35 pmThank you for supplying some well needed templates for miter cuts, I don’t know why but it would seem so easy but is anything but. I want to ask if the same principal would apply to quarter round for floor boards?
Acme Tools
June 29, 2017 at 8:10 amHello,
Thank you for your comments. The cutting of floor trim is similar to crown molding but the angles are different so these templates would not work. We suggest that when cutting quarter round for a floor trim application that you position the material against the fence and base of the miter saw exactly as it would lay between the floor and the wall. Your blade bevel can be at 90deg and your miter angle is 1/2 of what the complete angle of the wall is. If your wall is exactly at 90deg then you will make each miter cut (right and left) at 45deg. For the best miter fit it is a good practice to measure each corners angle, they are rarely at 90deg but usually within 1-3deg.
Inside corners will use a left hand piece with a / miter on it and the right hand piece will have a \ miter on it (long points of the miter are away from you). This is exactly opposite for an Outside corner where the left hand piece will have a \ miter and the right hand piece will have the / miter (long points of the miter are closer to you).
Thank you,
Acme Tools
Scott roop
July 28, 2017 at 1:45 pmAll well and good if you want more stuff to try and not loose. Easiest way is to cut crown upside down and backwards. 45 degrees swing right or left depending on the corner gives you an outside miter and to the left gives you an inside corner that you can cope for a perfect fit. No tilting the head, no weird angles to remember, just 45 degrees left or right with the crown upside down and backwards. Sounds complicated? Not really, try a scrap piece and you will find it’s very simple. 10″ miter saw will cut 3 5/8″ crown, 12 miter saw will cut 4 5/8″ crown and up to 5 1/4″. Have fun, be safe and never cross hands while using a miter saw.
Acme Tools
July 31, 2017 at 7:26 amHello, Thank you for your comment. There are several ways to cut crown molding we are just explaining one way. Thank you for the safety reminder. We agree that safety should come first when working with any tool and when using a miter saw you should never cross your hands.
Thank you,
Acme Tools
Carolyn
July 30, 2017 at 11:10 amAny idea if someone sells these templates?
Acme Tools
July 31, 2017 at 7:23 amHello, Thank you for your comment. We have not seen these for sale anywhere but as long as you follow the instructions you can make your own out of scraps that normally would have been thrown away or burned.
Thank you,
Acme Tools
Doug
October 31, 2018 at 9:43 amAs a matter of fact I bought a device for crown molding cuts at either lowes or home depot. I cant recall which. Try lowes first. Cheers!
Joe
September 25, 2017 at 7:30 amIm ready to start my crown project, made my first cut and it’s wrong. So I’ve stopped because I’m missing something. When you say “inside right” that’s not the cut on the right side of the trim board, it’s the right side of the corner?
2nd question: when I’m measuring the length of trim board, where do I make my mark to cut, top or bottom?
Acme Tools
September 25, 2017 at 9:07 amHello, Thank you for your comment. “Inside Right” refers to the type of corner, inside or outside, and the right or left refers to the direction that piece comes into the corner when on the wall.
Thank you,
Acme Tools
Ian
October 12, 2017 at 6:58 amAs per your reply on the 1/4 round if you measure the corner and say it I’d 94 degrees, you would set the saw at 47 degrees. But how will that affect your crown modding with all the compound angles? Thanks
Acme Tools
October 12, 2017 at 8:13 amHi Ian, Thank you for your comment. The templates are designed for corners that are at 90deg. If the corner is larger or smaller than 90deg some adjustments will have to be made. In the past we have seen a chart that will give you the compound and miter settings for the different corner measurements but have not been able to locate one to get the measurements for the 94deg corner you are working with. If we locate it we will either provide a link or re-create the chart in a separate blog post.
Thank you,
Acme Tools
ScottE
February 16, 2018 at 7:07 pmNot sure why ACME feels they have to over-complicate this process of cutting crown molding. Scott roop was correct in his explanation of “upside down and backwards”. NOT flat on the saw but angled on the fence as it would be on the wall. ACME is confusing people unnecessarily. This way, all you have to do is swing the saw back and forth for left and right cuts and not touch the bevel of the saw. Just had to add my 2 cents to this nonsense.
Acme Tools
February 21, 2018 at 6:08 pmHi ScottE, Thank you for your comment. There are many different ways to cut Crown and we just presented one of them. Many people find coping their miter joints very tedious and intimidating so we presented a solution for them.
Thank you,
Acme Tools
Chuck Admire
March 6, 2018 at 10:13 pmVery good learning experience. Thank You Acme Tools.
Mike
April 1, 2018 at 1:15 pmWhat is the exact measurement from the ceiling to the bottom of the crown that this template accounts for? I could do a lot of test sets but if I’m a little off from corner to corner, I really want to avoid re-setting. Thanks in advance!
Acme Tools
April 2, 2018 at 8:04 amHi Mike, Thank you for your question. The exact measurement from the ceiling to the bottom of the crown will depend on the crown molding that you are using. The most important part of these measurements is that the spring angle of the crown being used is 45 deg. If you have 38 deg crown some adjustments will need to be made.
Thank you,
Acme Tools
Dave K.
April 27, 2019 at 7:55 pmmaking a podium with the top having a 10 degree slope, how do i cut the crown moulding that goes on the bottom over hang of the top? Thank You for any help. Dave K.
Acme Tools
April 29, 2019 at 7:41 amHi Dave, Thank you for your question but we do apologize that we do not have the answer for you. We suggest using a bevel gauge to assist in the angles that match up to the front that is straight across.
Thank you,
Acme Tools
Jerry
July 4, 2023 at 10:36 pmThere are many ways to cut crown moulding Miter Box, Table Saw, Radial-Arm Saw, Skill Saw, Hand Saw in a custom made miter box. The easiest method to cut crown moulding is with a Miter Box. I once watched a young men cutting crown moulding at a very pace. As a Custom Trim Carpenter I was always open to learning anything that would make my job better, faster, easier. So I took notes on his methode. When using 8012 Crown Molding (51/2″) he would go to a inside corner on a wall. He placed a sample of the molding into the corner and made a pencil line on both the top and bottom of the crown molding. He then placed the sample into his miter box and again marked the top and bottom of the molding onto his miter box fence and base plate. Each time he placed the crown molding into his miter box he lined up the two pencil marks before cutting. I improved on the concept by placing wood on both the base plate and the fence. Upon making my pencil marks I placed 4 small nails along the top line, in this way I could roll the crown molding up against the nails and cut the crown molding easily, each cut with the same roll. Good luck, and be careful